In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.
Galley units are typically used in means of transportation, in particular, in means of transportation for the transport of passengers such as, e.g., in aircraft in order to prepare and process meals and beverages. A galley unit comprises several different appliances, at least some of which are supplied with water via a water line. Appliances of this type are generally referred to as water consumers and may comptidr a beverage dispenser or a coffee machine.
A water consumer is coupled to the galley unit via a fluid line. In this case, the galley unit also comprises a line system in order to supply water, for example. The line system of the galley unit may require periodic servicing and/or maintenance. In this case, the line system is flushed with a cleaning or rinsing fluid by conducting the cleaning or rinsing fluid through the line system. This process can be referred to as draining. The line system of the galley unit can be drained or flushed. The explanations in this description apply in an analogue manner to both operating states.
The line system may comprise line sections or line branches, to which the water consumers are connected. In this case, such a line section may comprise a self-closing coupling on one end. In this way, an outlet of the line section is automatically closed when the water consumer is decoupled from the line section. This self-closing feature or characteristic of the line section prevents water from escaping from the line section when the consumer is decoupled. When the line system of the galley unit is drained, the water consumers are usually decoupled and a valve at the outlet of the line sections of the galley unit is closed. Line sections with a self-closing coupling on their outlet potentially cannot be subjected to a flow of rinsing fluid during the draining process because the rinsing fluid is merely introduced into these line sections, but is unable to flow through. Consequently, rinsing fluid can accumulate in such line sections and be subsequently withdrawn or taken by the water consumers when they are connected to these line sections. This may be undesirable because the water consumers in this case also use the rinsing fluid accumulated in the line section, e.g., for the preparation of beverages. In this case, it would be necessary, e.g., to dispose of a certain number of prepared beverages or to initially withdraw a certain quantity of water immediately after the drainage of the line system before additional water in the form of potable water is withdrawn by the water consumer.
DE 10 2008 064 119 A1 and US 2010/0243800 A1 describe a galley for an aircraft with several functionally different appliances.